1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the convertible roof of a convertible motor vehicle with at least one front roof part which is movably supported on the body by a bearing means, and a rear roof part which can be moved over the front roof part and can be lowered with it into a rear stowage space.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent DE 44 35 222 C1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,483 disclose a motor vehicle roof with a front roof part and a rear roof part of the initially mentioned type. The front roof part, which can be locked on the windshield apron via side roof members which can be swung in, is pivotably coupled to the body by means of a pivot lever. Via a pivot lever which is supported on the body and which can be pivoted by means of a hydraulic cylinder and is coupled via another hydraulic cylinder to the rear coupling point of the rear roof part to the latter, and with an additional hydraulic cylinder and a telescoping guide which is parallel to it which, on the one hand, is attached to the pivot lever, and on the other, engages the rear roof part at the front coupling point, the rear roof part, which rearwardly adjoins the front roof part and sits on the flap of the soft top compartment which forms the transition to the trunk to form a seal, is movably supported such that by pivoting and actuating the lever and hydraulic cylinder means, the roof can be raised out of its closed and can be swung forward to over the front roof part. Then, the rear roof part is locked on the front roof part, and after unlocking the roof rods and by actuating the lever and hydraulic cylinder means, it is swung as a unit with the front roof part to the rear into a stowage space and deposited in it. In doing so, the front roof part pivots according to guidance by its pivot rod and by the lever and hydraulic cylinder means of the rear roof part. However, this arrangement of the lever and hydraulic cylinder means has a complex structure, demands a large amount of space, and requires a lateral elongated recess for passage of the lever and hydraulic cylinder means in the flap of the soft top compartment.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle roof of the initially mentioned type with a simplified and improved lowering mechanism.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the front side of the rear roof part can be moved over the front roof part by a raising means which is movably supported on a lengthwise guide which is located on the front roof part. Since the raising means executes lengthwise motion of the rear roof part over the front roof part by displacement along the lengthwise guide, the rear roof part need be raised only slightly above the front roof part. In doing so, the front section of the front roof part is securely supported via the raising means over a short length on the lengthwise guide. Due to the short support, the rear roof part pivots only a little beyond the front roof part. Driving can take place with comparatively low drive force by means of a drive part which is movably supported on the lengthwise guide.
The raising means in accordance with the invention is especially suitable for a rear roof part which has side roof members or C columns, and thus, forms the completely closed rear roof shell of the motor vehicle roof, which can also be called a C segment. The rear roof part can also contain a rear window.
Functionally, the rear roof part is supported on the back, i.e., behind the raising means by a connecting rod means to be able to pivot on the front roof part or the bearing means. The connecting rod means on each side of the roof contains, for example, a connecting rod which is coupled to the back end or to the back window frame of the rear roof part.
Alternatively, the rear roof part can be supported in the rear by means of a pivot joint on the support lever which is movably supported on the guide rail. Since the support lever does not execute a pivoting motion at its foot, but it is movably guided only in the lengthwise guide, this support has high stiffness. The guide rail for the support lever can be divided into a front guide rail on the front roof part and into a rear guide rail on a main connecting rod which movably supports the front roof part. As soon as the support lever has been pushed onto the front guide rail, the main connecting rod can be pivoted to lower the roof.
One preferred embodiment of the invention calls for the carriage to be guided on the lengthwise guide of the front roof part and for the raising lever of the raising means, which lever is connected to be able to pivot relative to the rear roof part, to be supported on the carriage to be able to pivot and to be moved by the raising mechanism. In doing so, the control pin of the raising lever, which is intended for raising of the raising lever, can be guided on the control crank on the front roof part.
Functionally, the drive motor mounted on the front roof part or on the support frame of the roof part is connected via a drive cable to the respective carriage of the raising means which are located on both sides on the front roof part.
In order to equalize positional deviations between the right and the left drive cable for the right-side and the left-side raising mechanism, the control pin is preferably located in the end section of its lengthwise guide at dead center with respect to the carriage. The carriage thus causes almost no motion or pivoting of the raising lever on its final path of motion.
According to another preferred embodiment, the raising lever of the raising means on the lengthwise guide of the front roof part, which lever is pivotally connected to the rear roof part, is guided over two bearing parts which are spaced away from one another and which are movably guided on the lengthwise guide, and by means of the curved shape of the lengthwise guide, the respective pivot position of the raising lever is set. This version has an especially simple structure and is reliable in operation.
According to another preferred embodiment, the guide means of the raising mechanism on the front roof part contains two lengthwise guides for respective bearing parts which are movably supported thereon; that is, the bearing part of the raising lever which is pivotally connected to the rear roof part, and the raising section of the lengthwise guides which is on the end at the time executes a initial pivoting motion of the raising lever. The swinging-out motion of the raising lever can be carried out by the driven bearing part being guided in the circuit-shaped raising section of the first lengthwise guide, while the other bearing part remains in the other lengthwise guide at the center of the circle. After carrying out the pivoting motion, the two bearing parts are pushed on the lengthwise guides and retain their relative positioning without additional pivoting so that the lifted raising lever can be moved along the front roof part.
Functionally, the driven bearing part is driven by a drag lever which can be connected to the drive motor via a drive carriage which is movably guided in its own drive guide and via a drive cable.
The raising means as claimed in the invention is suited for motor vehicle roofs with different fixed roof elements, especially the front section of the motor vehicle roof can have a movable cover, for example, an externally guided sliding and lifting roof cover, in front of the front roof part.
Embodiments of the invention are explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.